Blithe Spirit (1945)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

David Lean

Writers:

David Lean (adaptation) and
Ronald Neame (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

14 May 1945 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

One Wife Too Many

Plot:

Adapted from a play by Noel Coward, Charles and his second wife Ruth, are haunted by the ghost of his first wife, Elvira. Medium Madame Arcati tries to help things out by contacting the ghost.

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Medium | Author | Supernatural | Doctor

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Rex Harrison	...	Charles Condomine
Constance Cummings	...	Ruth Condomine
Kay Hammond	...	Elvira Condomine
Margaret Rutherford	...	Madame Arcati
Hugh Wakefield	...	Dr. George Bradman
Joyce Carey	...	Violet Bradman
Jacqueline Clarke	...	Edith

Also Known As:

Noel Coward's 'Blithe Spirit' (UK) (complete title)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U (video rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

D and P Studios, Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Noel Coward-Cineguild

Trivia:

David Lean and cinematographer Ronald Neame decided not to use double exposure to create Elvira's ghostly appearances. Instead, Lean created an enormous set that allowed Kay Hammond to move freely in each shot. Hammond wore fluorescent green clothes, makeup, and a wig, with bright red lipstick and fingernail polish. Each time she moved, a special light would be directed on her, allowing her figure to glow even in dimly-lit scenes, and giving her an otherworldly appearance.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After the séance when Elvira first appears, she flops onto the settee by the fire. As her dress billows you can see wear the green ghostly make up ends half way up her leg, showing normal skin above the make up line.

Quotes:

[first lines]
words on a Victorian sampler: "When we are young / We read and believe / The most fantastic things. / When we are older / We learn with regret / That these things cannot be"
Narrator: We are quite, quite wrong!

Movie Connections:

Version of Blithe Spirit (1946) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Always

Spiritual mirth is a joyous thing.

Written by a maestro and directed by the king of kings, Blithe Spirit is a fantastical comedy that gladdens and lifts the spirits {no pun intended} to the point that this viewer always wears a grin 12 hours after watching it . Noel Coward's witty approach is given perfect treatment from David Lean and a cast clearly having fun with the material to hand. Rex Harrison is all fresh faced and youthful, whilst some of his mannerisms of incredulity and cheek are a joy to behold. Constance Cummings & Kay Hammond bounce off each other with electrical mirth. However it is Margaret Rutherford's show all the way, her portrayal of the batty, almost maniacal medium Madame Arcati is a joy to behold, and that alone is worth watching the film for.

Ghostly goings on with a cracking turn of events at the hour mark, mark this out as a truly delightful movie, so thank the lord we get an ending that is perfect and in tune as regards the fun that has gone before it, 9/10.